Sex Offender Registration Unit

The Duplin County Sheriff’s Office Sex Offender Unit is responsible for maintaining records for persons who have been convicted of a sex offense that are required to register by North Carolina Law. The unit registers, confirms addresses, monitors, and arrests offenders that are in violation of the registry requirements.

The North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry was established in January 1996 due to the enactment of Article 27 of Chapter 14 of the North Carolina General Statutes. This law requires a person who is a resident of North Carolina and who has a reportable conviction to maintain registration with the sheriff of the county where the person resides. If a sex offender moves to North Carolina from out of state, the person must register within 10 days of establishing residency in this state, or whenever the offender has been present in the state for 15 days, whichever comes first.

If an offender is a resident of North Carolina, he or she must register within three days of release from a jail or correctional institution or immediately upon conviction for a reportable offense when an active term of imprisonment was not imposed.

Sex offenders are required to remain on the registry for 30 years following the date of initial country registration, unless the offender successfully petitions to shorten this time period after 10 years of being on the registry. Offenders who are classified as recidivist, aggravated or sexually violent will maintain registration for life.

Access the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry for additional resources.